


I Won't Let You Fall

by YellowBananaOwl



Series: Fandot Creativity Night Ficlets [43]
Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-05-09 20:52:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5554910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YellowBananaOwl/pseuds/YellowBananaOwl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>MJN goes ice skating. Martin is NOT happy about that, but Arthur is there to help him from falling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Won't Let You Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Written after a Fandot Creativity Night.  
> Prompt: ice skating
> 
> Characters belong to John Finnemore

 ”No, no, no, this is a terrible idea!” Martin grabbed a hold of the rail the second he stepped onto the ice.

 ”Aw, come on, Skip! It will be brilliant! It’s not _that_ difficult!”

 ”It’s not difficult,” agreed Martin. ”It’s _impossible_! People aren’t meant to walk on ice! They are meant to walk on solid ground.”

 ”But it’s ice. It _is_ solid.”

 ”You know what I mean.”

 ”I’ll help you,” said Arthur and offered Martin  his hand.

 ”Yeah, somehow that’s not very reassuring, Arthur” said Martin as he watched everyone else zoom past him with great speed. Why did they have to do that? _How_ did they do that?

 ”Why not?”

 ”Because, Arthur. Apart from myself, you are the clumsiest person I know.”

 ”No, I’m not.”

 ”Yes, you are,” said Martin. ”If anyone trips as often as me, it’s you.”

 ”Well, okay, that’s true,” admitted Arthur. ”But I know how to do this, I’ve been ice skating loads of times. Trust me!”

 ”I don’t want to.”

 ”You don’t want to trust me?”

 ”No, I don’t want to skate. It’s dangerous, and as a professional pilot it is my duty to stay safe and make sure I’m fit to fly at any time.”

 ”Like that time you twisted your ankle and we had to drive your van to Devon. Only we didn’t drive the van to Devon because -”

 ”Yes, Arthur, I was there, I remember! And that was on the _ground_. Can you imagine what will happen if I go on slippery ice?”

 ”Yeah, if you go with your _shoes_ , but not with skates. Also, Herc and Douglas are professional pilots too, and they’re skating. Look.”

 ”I’d rather not,” Martin muttered and looked away from the skating rink. He just knew that the two of them would be naturals at skating, just like they were at everything else. Why did he have to be the only one who wasn’t good at this? Even Arthur claimed to know how to skate. _Arthur_!

 ”Skip, it will be fine,” Arthur reassured him. ”We’ll take it slow, and we’ll stay close to the edge all the time, I promise.”

 ”No.”

 ”Just one round. Please? One round, and if you still don’t like it, you can go back and get your shoes. Okay? One round.”

 ”One round?”

 ”One.”

 ”Fine!” Martin agreed.

 ”Brilliant!”

 He took a deep breath and stood up straighter. He gripped the rail tightly and used it to move himself forward.

 ”Aw, Skip, that’s _cheating_. You can use the walls for support, but not to make yourself go forward. That’s not skating, that’s just … pulling.”

 ”I’m not letting go of this!” Martin was determined. He was not going to fall!

 ”Take my hand instead,” Arthur held out his right hand, and Martin hesitantly accepted it.

 ”Now, let go of the rail.”

 ”Do I have to?” Martin whined.

 ”Yes,” Arthur insisted. ”You can grab it if you feel you’re going to fall, but try it.”

 Martin carefully let go.

 ”See,” said Arthur. ”You can do this! You don’t need the rail. Now, try moving your feet a bit. Push them outward and slightly forward, like this.” Arthur tried to show him with his own foot, but without moving more than two inches from his side.

 Martin gave it a go and immediately felt his balance fail him. He clung Arthur’s arm, and the other man had to struggle a bit to keep them upright, but he managed.

 ”Easy, easy,” said Arthur. ”Try again, but not as hard. Take tiny steps, but don’t lift your foot, just push and slide.”

 ”That’s easy for you to say, you _know_ how to do this,” mumble Martin.

 ”And so will you,” said Arthur. ”You just have to try.”

 ”But I’ll fall!”

 ”I will not let you fall, Skip. I managed to catch you right now, didn’t I? And that was a tricky one. But I caught you.”

 Martin took another deep breath and tried to move his feet forward. It didn’t go fast and it didn’t go smoothly, and he did his best to ignore Douglas’ snide remark as he came swooshing by, but he did move forward.

 ”Don’t listen to him,” said Arthur. ”You’re doing great.”

 He actually was. He was moving forward and his knees weren’t as wobbly anymore. It still wasn’t speedy, but he’d rather stay safe than go fast and end up hurting himself and Arthur.

 ”Brilliant, Skip! You’re getting the hang of this now.” Arthur cheered him on. ”Do you want to try on your own?”

 ”NO!” Martin stopped, or at least tried to, but the skates kept moving on their own and Martin felt his feet slip under him again. But, once again, Arthur was there to stop him from falling. ”Don’t let go!” Martin yelped.

 ”I won’t,” said Arthur and held him steadily until he could stand on his own. Arthur smiled at him, and a warm sensation spread through Martin’s body. ”I’ll never let go.”

 Martin smiled back, and didn’t take his eyes of the steward for a few seconds. Then he shook his head, cleared his throat and looked ahead. ”We’re almost half-way. Okay, Arthur, let’s do this!”

”Brilliant,” said Arthur and released his grip on Martin’s body, still not letting go of his hand.

 Together they managed to move around the rink, and Martin was so proud of himself as they reached the opening they had used to get on the ice.

 ”You made it! Hooray!” Arthur let go of his hand and did a little dance to celebrate.

 Martin laughed and forgot that he wasn’t holding on to something anymore. His feet suddenly gave way under him and he tried desperately to stay upright, but his feet were flailing and he couldn’t do it.

 He yelped, but Arthur was there at once, grabbing his arm and pulling him up before the rest of his body could touch the ice. Martin sighed with relief and looked up at two smiling brown eyes. His heart skipped a beat.

 ”See, Skip!” Arthur said proudly. ”I told you I wouldn’t let you fall.”

 Martin looked at him and thought to himself. ‘Oh no, Arthur. You’re wrong. You’re so very, very wrong.’

 He had fallen, and he had fallen hard.


End file.
